Katakwi | Kazi ni Kazi Foundation, a local organisation founded in response to insults from State Minister for Sports and Ngariam County MP Peter Ogwang in Katakwi district, is nearing completion on a project to connect solar power to all schools in Ngariam County.
The “Kazi ni Kazi” (Work is Work) foundation raises local funds for community development initiatives.
These initiatives include supplying cassava and potato cuttings, drilling and repairing boreholes, connecting solar lights to rural schools, and providing the district with new curriculum textbooks to improve learning.
The foundation is currently celebrating outstanding achievements that it believes will facilitate socioeconomic transformation and align with the government’s goals of increasing household incomes and lifting communities out of poverty.
In the education sector, the foundation is completing the installation of long-term solar lighting systems in 15 more schools.
This comes after the successful connection of solar power to 33 schools, bringing the total to 48 in Ngariam County.
Obulujet, Ocwin, Alukucok, Aliakamer, Palam Seed SS, Angorom, Agolook, Apeduru Aodot, Apolin, Agurigur, Aparisa Dadas, and Kaikamosing are among the schools set to receive solar power.
During the commissioning of the solar installation at Acanga Primary School in Ngariam sub-county, community members and stakeholders praised the Kazi ni Kazi foundation for its visionary initiatives that benefit society.
John Opio, senior man teacher at Acanga Primary School, emphasises that the initiative will significantly improve educational performance by allowing for night preparations and learning, particularly for the 27 candidates preparing for the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) this year.
He notes that this initiative has inspired other schools to create mini-boarding sections for candidate classes, which they have adopted and are currently implementing.
Speaking on behalf of the head teacher, Opio expressed confidence that the school, which has 400 students, including 27 candidates, will see improved results, aiming to outperform last year’s achievement of one first division.
Elizabeth Achom, Ngariam’s sub-county chief, admitted that many schools face staffing, accommodation, and lighting issues.
She emphasised that this initiative relieves some of the government’s burdens, particularly by improving learning conditions for candidates.
Achom also stated that the school’s location on the border of Teso and Karamoja will improve educational services because teachers and students are motivated to achieve excellent results.
Deborah Akwii, area councillor for Achanga-Akum parish, urged parents to support nearby schools and help fight illiteracy.
She pointed out that such developments save parents money, especially given the delays in government rural electrification programmes.
Dan Mulalu, the President’s Private Secretary in charge of political affairs and the head of Kazi ni Kazi, stated that the foundation is dedicated to giving back to the community by addressing critical needs.
Mulalu, who has shown interest in unseating Minister Peter Ogwang (MP), aims to complete all projects before nominations to demonstrate tangible achievements.
Mulalu stated that Acanga Primary School, which has been affected by insecurity due to Karamojong cattle rustlers, will benefit from the lighting system, which will allow the school to keep students on campus during school hours.
He stated that as an alumnus, his goal is to provide opportunities for students to pursue their academic dreams.
The entire solar lighting project for the schools cost about shs125 million.
Community members, including Aksim parish’s LC2 chairman John Stephen Ariko, Charles Okiror, and others such as Suzan Adiebo and Esther Ariko, welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that it will improve students’ ability to study at night and lead to better academic outcomes.
By Robert Edwomu
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